Swimming paddles



Nov. 26, 1963 F. P. NELSON 3,111,694

SWIMMING PADDLES Filed March 21. 1962 IN VEN TOR Fredrych P. Nelson United States Patent 3,111,694 SWIMMING PADDLES Fredrych P. Nelson, 2015 Parkside Drive, No. 251, Bremerton, Wash. Filed Mar. 21, 1962, Ser. No. 181,369 2 Claims. (Cl. 9307) This invention rel-ates to aquatics, and more particularly to that age old form of aquatics known as swimming.

Ever since man first entered water, he or she has at one time or another desired some form of paddle or paddles by which they could make better time swimming than is normally possible just by the use of ones hand-s and feet. In fact any number of devices have been tried. Some had limited success, others, complete failure.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide swimming paddles of the character described, that will greatly increase a swimmers speed in the water without the necessity of using complicated devices of questionable value.

Another object of this invention is to provide swimming paddles that do not require inflating with air before they can be used.

Another object of this invention is to provide swimming paddles that are made of non-destrnctible material that will last indefinitely without special care.

Another object of this invention is to provide swimming paddles that can be used with equal proficiency by men, women and children regardless of their age.

Another object of this invention is to provide swimming paddles that can be mass produced and sold to the lover of water sports at a price anyone can afford.

Another object of this invention is to provide swimming paddles that can readily be manufactured in any desired color.

Another object of this invention is to provide swimming paddles that will take up but little space in any overnight bag in which they can safely be packed without danger of damaging anything else that may be packed in the bag.

Another object of this invention is to provide swimming paddles that are aerodynamically shaped to permit long travel through the air when thrown to a drowning or incapacitated person in water.

Another object of this invention is to provide swimming paddles that are contoured to the concave recess of the forearm of a swimmer and therefore are not objectionable devices to any user no matter how inexperienced he or she may be.

Still another object of this invention is to provide swimming paddles that are hydrodynamically shaped so as not to impede the conventional swimming stroke of their user.

Other and further objects and advantages of these swimming paddles will be hereinafter described, and the novel features thereof defined in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of this invention showing one of the paddles in partial cross section to better show its internal construction.

FIGURE 2 is an end view of this invention.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of this invention taken substantially along line 33 of FIGURE 1 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view of this invention taken substantially along line 44 of FIGURE 1 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Having reference now to the drawing in detail, there is generally indicated by the character 7 one of the swimming paddles of which there are two, each one identical to the other and having a side configuration approximately "ice.

that of a trapezium. Each swimming paddle embodies an enlarged portion 8 blending into a similar but smaller portion 9 which is connected to the said enlarged portion by a web 10 and an elongated hand grip 1.1 that is approximately round in cross section. Both the enlarged portion 8 and the smaller portion 9 have an end view configuration of a symmetrical airfoil with a trailing edge 12 as clearly shown in FIGURE 2 of the appended drawing. Each one of the paddles 7 have a triangular opening .13 in an area bound by the underside of the hand grip 11, the upper edge of the web and between the uppermost ends of the aforesaid enlarged portion 8 and the smaller portion 9.

Each of the said paddles 7 are preferably molded unicellular plastic foam with a plastic tubular reinforcement 14 that appears as an inverted capital letter U when viewed from the side thereof in that portion of FIGURE 1 that shows the internal structure of this novel invention where it is also seen that the aforesaid plastic tubular reinforcement 14 is crimped at the ends to provide flattened ends. The flattened end at the left of the cross-hatched portion of FIG. 1 is seen from the edge and is positioned as shown to provide reinforcing at. the point that the cord is secured. The flattened end at the right of the cross-hatched portion of FIGURE 1 is shown from the side. These ends also serve as anchors to make the device more rugged. The ends 15 are penetrated on the thumb side 16 of each swimming paddle 7 by one end of the non-saturable cord 17 which has a knot 18 on each outermost end thereof in order to prevent its being pulled out of the aforesaid paddles 7.

The construction of this novel invention has now been described in its preferred embodiment. The swimming paddles normally have a volume displacement of approximately one hundred and forty cubic inches apiece. The density of the plastic foam structure is between three and four pounds per cubic foot, thus providing exceptional buoyancy to this unique invention.

The way in which this invention is used is all but selfexplanatory from examination of FIGURE 1 of the appended drawing by those experienced in the aquatic arts. The swimmer or other user of this invention normally places the cord '17 over his or her back while they grasp one of the hand grips '11 of each swimming paddle 7 in each hand and proceed to swim or otherwise consort in the water. This invention is also a life saving device by reason of the fact that a person may cradle himself between the two swimming paddles 7 by sitting upon the cord .17 then tucking the paddles under his arms to rest.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided swimming paddles which accomplish all of the objects of this invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it will be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

in accordance with the provisions of the United States patent statutes, as stated in the United States Code Title 35, Patents, I have now described the principle of construction and operation of my invention of swimming paddles in the form which -I personally consider the best embodiment thereof, and what I now claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An invention of the character described, comprising a pair of molded uniceliular plastic foam paddles each one having the basic configuration of a trapezium as viewed from the side thereof, each one of the said paddles embodying an enlarged portion and a small-er portion parallel thereto and connected to the said enlarged por' tionby a web and an elongated hand grip approximately ciroular incross section, the said hand grip having one end blending into the top of the said enlarged portion and the other end blending into the top of the said smaller portion and an inverted U-shaped plastic tubular reinforcement embedded within the upper end of both the said enlarged portion and the said smaller portion and the said elongated hand grip, .each end of the said plastic tubular reinforcement'being flattenedand a non-saturable flexiblecord having one end embedded in the edge of the said smaller portion of each one of the said paddles and terminating in aknot: on the inward side of one flattened end of the said plastic'tubular reinforcement.

2. Aninventionof the character described, comprising a pair ofmolded unicellular plastic foam paddles each one having the basic configuration of a trapezium as viewed from the side thereof, each one of the said paddles embodying an enlarged portion and a smaller portion parallel thereto. and connected to the said enlarged portion by'a Web and an elongated hand grip approximately circur'lar in cross section, the said hand grip having one end blending intothe top of the said enlarged portion and the other end blendinginto thetop of the said smaller portion and an inverted U-shaped plastic tubular reinforcement embedded within the upper end of both the said enlarged portion and the said smaller portion and the said elongated hand grip, each end of the said plastic tubular reinforcement being flattened and a non-saturable flexible cord having one end embedded in the edge of the said smaller portion of each one of the said paddles and terminatingin a knot on the inward side on one flattened end of the said plastic tubular reinforcement and both the enlarged portion and the smaller portion of each said paddle having a vertica lend view configuration of a symmetrical airfoil terminating in a trailing edge at the bottom thereof along with the bottom. of the said Web.

References'Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,211,536 Clayton Aug. 13, 1940 2,231,869 Andrews Feb. 18, 1941 2,672,629 La Trell Mar. 23, 1954 2,802,223 Magone Aug. 13, 1957 2,941,218 Read 1- June 21, 196 0 FOREIGN PATENTS 153,922 Sweden Mar. 27, 1956 

1. AN INVENTION OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED, COMPRISING A PAIR OF MOLDED UNICELLULAR PLASTIC FOAM PADDLES EACH ONE HAVING THE BASIC CONFIGURATION OF A TRAPEZIUM AS VIEWED FROM THE SIDE THEREOF, EACH ONE OF SAID PADDLES EMBODYING AN ENLARGED PORTION AND A SMALLER PORTION PARALLEL THERETO AND CONNECTED TO THE SAID ENLARGED PORTION BY A WEB AND AN ELONGATED HAND GRIP APPROXIMATELY CIRCULAR IN CROSS SECTION, THE SAID HAND GRIP HAVING ONE END BLENDING INTO THE TOP OF THE SAID ENLARGED PORTION AND THE OTHER END BLENDING INTO THE TOP OF THE SAID SMALLER PORTION AND AN INVERTED U-SHAPED PLASTIC TUBULAR REINFORCEMENT EMBEDDED WITHIN THE UPPER END OF BOTH THE SAID ENLARGED PORTION AND THE SAID SMALLER PORTION AND THE SAID ELONGATED HAND GRIP, EACH END OF THE SAID PLASTIC TUBULAR REINFORCEMENT BEING FLATTENED AND A NON-SATURABLE FLEXIBLE CORD HAVING ONE END EMBEDDED IN THE EDGE OF THE SAID SMALLER PORTION OF EACH ONE OF THE SAID PADDLES AND TERMINATING IN A KNOT ON THE INWARD SIDE OF ONE FLATTENED END OF THE SAID PLASTIC TUBULAR REINFORCEMENT. 